Iven j



NITED STATES i PATENT VPrion.

IVEN J. IIOYT, QF WATSEKA, ILLINOIS.

CAR.`

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 602,079, datedAprl 12, 1898.

Application naa June 29, 1897.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVEN J. HOYT, a'citizen of the United States, residing at Watseka, in the county of Iroquois and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cars, of which the following is a specification.

The invent-ion relates to improvements in cars.

The object of the present invention is to provide for box-cars a support designed to be mounted on cars, at the tops thereof, to bridge partially the space between them in order that men may safely pass over them and couple and uncouple the cars at that point without danger of falling between them.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the' accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a car-coupling constructed in accordance with this invention and shown applied to a car. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view illustrating the manner Of mounting the safety-platform. Fig. V3 is a plan view of a portion of two cars, showing the arrangement of the safety-platforms.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

1 designates the car, provided at its top with a yieldingly-mounted safety-platform- 12, which is supported by L-shaped brackets 13 and which is cushioned by spiral springs 14,

interposed between it and the car and seated in suitablesockets. The brackets, which are located beneath the platform, are provided in their horizontal portions with slots 15, receiv- Serial No. 642,867. (No model.)

ing fasteningdevices 16, whereby the platform is permitted a limited movement to and from the car. The transverse safety-platforms of two cars substantially fill the space between the cars, as clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings, and they enable a brakeman to work with perfect safety on the tops of cars without liability of falling between them. They also form asupport for the ends of the running-boards 2, which exf ets mounted thereon near the top thereof and provided with slotted horizontal arms,a transverse safety-platform arranged on the brackets and having its upper face flush with the top of the car, fastening devices depending from the platform, passing through the slots of the brackets and engaging the latter, and cushioning-springs interposed between the platform and the car, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiXed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

IVEN J. I-IOYT.

Witnesses:

LORENZO F. WATSON, JACOB KING. 

